Jehovah's Witnesses have no social conscience. And it's truly pathetic that they're conned into believing that going door to door with their worthless ``join us or die'' message fully discharges their Christian obligations toward their fellow man. Anyone who's engaged in truly philanthropic work (soup kitchens, used clothing drives, relief work, counseling, etc.) can attest to the immensity of sastifaction one feels. it's a pleasure JW leadership denies its members.
Volunteer Work is Never Encouraged
by Mary 24 Replies latest jw friends
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Double Edge
hmmmm...it's interesting how You Who and Fred Hall never chime in to posts such as this.
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metatron
Note the grossly unspiritual nature of the Society's remarks. People who don't perform
charity and generousity don't learn to be kind or generous. It's as simple as that.
It explains the stone cold hearts of men who treat child molesting as an afterthought
or annoyance in their quest for control.
metatron
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Bodhisattva
The response that "[subject to be criticized] is not a panacea" is particularly harmful, and reveals the Witness view that only panaceas -- silver bullet cure-alls that the majority of mankind realize are non-existent -- are worth pursuing. Not only is this apparent in their deus ex machina religious belief system, it is apparent in their fawning over every natural cure to come down the pike, from herbal medicine to homeopathy to chiropractic. If they just recognized that there are degrees of benefit, they would be okay; but for them it is all-or-nothing, panacea or punt.
With this in mind, I want to document some thoughts I had shortly before I left that the Witnesses could, I believe, use to their advantage.
About two years ago I was working with Habitat for Humanity, cleaning out a fire-gutted house. The house was full of trash, and with the charred building materials filled up enough volume in our dumpster to nearly overflow. But at the end of the day, not only had all the trash been removed from the house, but also a large amount of litter in front of other houses on the block. On a late break I walked around the neighborhood; it stood in stark contrast to the block from which we had removed litter, and where we had swept up some dirt, all merely incidental to the project.
I might be ashamed to live in a neighborhood like that; or I might be angry at the litter other people throw in front of my house, week after week, while I work day and night just to remain living there. Either way, what the Habitat folks did would make me smile.
Imagine instead of this rare event, you regularly saw two or four people with orange vests and casual clothes, equipped with trash bags, push brooms, and dustbins. Perhaps you would take it as entitlement. But perhaps you would pay a little more attention to training your children not to litter, and perhaps you would take a little more care yourself in caring for the neighborhood.
On the back of those orange vests might be the words "Jehovahs Witnesses -- Well be back next week to talk about spiritual cleanliness." Where householders had gotten used to seeing the same faces pounding at their door week after week hawking magazines -- many city territories are covered at least once a week -- they might now see wearing a tie the same person they saw in jeans cleaning up their street a week before. Such a strategy would greatly humanize the Witnesses to householders, would stop them from seeming like nosy strangers telling them what to think, would make them seem like good neighbors. And good neighbors, I expect, would place far more magazines.
Of course, Witnesses are not good neighbors; they are nosy strangers who want to tell others how to live. And yes, many a con has started with such apparent neighborliness. And finally, yes, allowing people to actually do something really useful (as opposed to publicity-centered relief efforts) during the time normally dedicated to the moribund ministry would require a softening of doctrine. In this people on both sides of the door would be better off.
Edited by - Bodhisattva on 3 July 2002 13:55:50
Edited by - Bodhisattva on 3 July 2002 13:57:49
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Pathofthorns
Not only do Witnesses generally not engage or contribute to charitable works, many actually think that it is wrong to do so. Paranoia over contributing to "Christendom's organizations", fraudulant charities or otherwise wasting valuable time and finances that could be spent on the preaching work - the only "real and lasting solution to mankind's problems" - prevents most from having any involvement with charitable organization. This gives many JWs who are cheap legitamate sounding excuses.
This negative thinking has been heavily influenced by the WT and you will note this if you do a search for "charities" in their publications. I think the WT realizes both time spent in preaching and funds donated to them would decrease if they gave the thumbs up to charities.
I have a feeling their position on this will change in an effort to clean up their public image, but for the moment the state of this huge "charitable" organization is absolutely pathetic.
Path
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FriendlyFellaAL
The attitude of many JWs toward their fellow man is truly disheartening. Taking a few extra minutes out of your day to do something good for your 'worldly' brother hurts you none and encourages those around you. Kindness costs you nothing.
Not only do Witnesses generally not engage or contribute to charitable works, many actually think that it is wrong to do so. Paranoia over contributing to "Christendom's organizations", fraudulant charities or otherwise wasting valuable time and finances that could be spent on the preaching work - the only "real and lasting solution to mankind's problems" - prevents most from having any involvement with charitable organization. This gives many JWs who are cheap legitamate sounding excuses.
Excellent point! I can still recall food drives during my school years. Nope, we mustn't do that...it's for Thanksgiving, run by The Salvation Army, run by The United Way. Speaking of The United Way, I remember those little donation drives they did in grade schools where you donated some small amount of change and they would give you one of those little yellow stickers with a smiley face indicating that you had donated money. My first year in public schools, I donated a quarter and I wore that sticker with pride all day long feeling so good about what I had done. Needless to say, my family was less than thrilled with my contribution to society.
Brian
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Bang
Sirona,
Not to denegrate your mum's efforts, it's good to see, but the Samaritan (Christ) went much further, risking Himself with an ememy, handling their wounds and blood - 'ritual' uncleaness and stuff.drustabitt,
Jealousy is a guarding concern - your refering to envy.dungbeetle,
"You can offer an encouraging word, a compliment."
And set them up for those times for when you disapprove?Does the NWT keep this bit ? - "do the same"
Bang
Edited by - Bang on 3 July 2002 17:22:38
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JT
I think volunteer work is discouraged because it takes away time that witnesses could be spending in field service recruiting others to join them in the door to door work and thus giving the organization its growth. With that growth in numbers comes growth in contributions, so they really can't afford to have their members going around helping others. Its too costly for them.
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right on point- as long as former jw continue to try and connect wt with god and bible they will always wonder why-
the moment you realize that wt is a Private Corp, "INC" the quicker one begins to understand how and why the wt does what it does-
when you are a jw you work for WT INC- plain and simple-
It has often been said that Bill Gates doesn't allow any software other than his to be used on their equipment even though i heard they use some Unix-
point being tell me one company that will allow it's employees to skip a day in the office, mill, etc and go up the road and work for the competition for FREE -
Folks WT is a business, they sell the most important product that folks in dispair need "HOPE"
and this is by means of those wonderful publication that they make billions off,-----
one of the most important things that wt has learned is KEEP THE FRIENDS BUSY
in fact out DO JC HOward use to tell the Elders and MS to KEEP THE FRIENDS BUSY-
look at Return visits- the process is another example of a waste of time- to call back on the same homes of folks who were ducking them the first time -
Regardless of how you feel about wt you all must admit WT has one Hell of a Employee Package WITH ALL KINDS OF EXCELLENT BENIFITS- at least on the surface.
New homes, Great health package ( no old age, sickness or death) , "DFMRLP" =dead family members return to life program. Free worldwide travel,, wonderful activities to do while in retirement (clean up bones, etc.)
yep we worked for a company - problem was everytime you tried to take advangtage of your Benifits- you always was told to come back after lunch cause the adminstrator would be back in by then, but go on back to work and they would call you when the Admin got back-
damn i have been waiting for 36yrs for the Admin to call me about my benifits
o well that is why we all quit - smile
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KistByQpid
I volunteer at a Christian non denominational food pantry. Sometimes the work is breaking down cardboard...other times it's nasty...like picking out the good fruit from the spoiled stuff. My JW mom made some smart @ss remark that this "so-called" Christian organization would NEVER change THE WORLD. I've gotten pretty good at ignoring some of her more inflammatory remarks. BUT I was like HUH??? Who said they were trying to do anything other than feed needy families? She asked me if it was like a mission, where those needing help had to endure a sermon BEFORE recieving anything. I said, "nope." WELL....Irony has it's moments....it wasn't a month later, she asked me if I could see about getting some "help" for "sister so-in-so." Apparantly, sister so-in-so's husband walked out on her and left her high and dry. I gave my mom the pantry's address and phone number...haven't seen sister-so-in-so BUT it takes some degree of moral dishonesty and nerve to belly up to Babylon's trough...don't ya think?
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lisaBObeesa
I think the Org does not want JWs to spend time in charity work for non-JWs because it would encourage them to see these non-JWs as human beings.
Even worse, it could lead to JWs LOVING people who are not JWs. (Sarcasm: OH MY GOSH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! )
And that would just bust a big hole in the whole people in the world are EVIL thing they have going..